How can government reduce its spending on external consultants?
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a scrutiny session on government’s use of external consultants.
Meeting details
The current government’s intention is to halve spending on consultants, with a commitment to producing a strategic workforce plan for the civil service in 2025 that can properly balance the use of civil servants and external resources. As of 2022-23, central government’ consultant spend was estimated to be approx. £1.36bn, but this figure could be significantly higher. The National Audit Office has found that government does not have a clear picture of how much is being spent on consultants, or how this spending has changed over time.
The PAC’s session will examine central oversight of government’s use of consultants. Other likely topics include how progress is being tracked towards the target of halving spend; how departments are being supported to achieve best practice in consultants’ use; and how government’s workforce plan may affect usage of consultants, professional services, and temporary staff.